Norfloxacin in the treatment of congenital dacryocystitis°

The most common cause of congenital dacryostenosis is the persistence of Hasner's membrane. In more than 90% of the newborns it perforates spontaneously during the first four to six weeks. If no perforation occurs, the tears gather in the lacrimal duct and lacrimal sac until the system is full and subsequently inflammation sets in. The most common bacterial agents causing this infection are still staphylococci, which were quite often found to be resistant to gentamicin, most probably as a consequence of the widespread and indiscriminate use of this antibiotic substance by general practitioners. Our study concentrated on 40 children who suffered from congenital dacryocystitis and postsaccal stenosis, and we examined them both clinically and microbiologically. Wenty babies were treated with 0.3% gentamicin drops, 20 with 0.3% norfloxacin-drops combined with a topical astringent. In all children treated with norfloxacin the infection disappeared after one week; 18 of the 20 pathogens (9O%) were eradicated. Our results support the impression that norfloxacin may become a useful alternative in the conservative treatment of congenital dacryocystitis.